Rotary steam-engine.



B. H. ALVEY.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLlcmon mio AM. 2|. m4. Patented Nov. 5.1918. 5

l nue @tot B. H. ALVEY.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION msn APR.2\.1914.

vPatented Nov. 5, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

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witnesses B. H. ALVEY.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPuculon min APR. 2|, |914.

1,283,614. Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEE 3.

,46 @www y 311 vc n Foz B. H. ALVEY.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPucmon min APR. 2|. 19m.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

E SHEETS-SHEET S.

B. H. ALVEY.

:www STEAM fNGlNE.

APPLICAHDN FILED APR,2I l9l4.

1 ,283,6 1 4. Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

E SHEETS-SHEE 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN I-I. ALVEY, OF ELIZABETHTOWN, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL CONVEYING MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 191 8.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. ALVEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabethtown, in the county of Hardin and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to certain improvements in rotary engines particularly though not essentially of the kind which employ steam as the motive agent, and it has for its purpose the provision of a rotar f engine having several new and useful features which contribute to the elliciency thereof and overcome disadvantages which have been experienced with other rotary engines and produce an engine of highly satisfactory and practicable character.

The invention consists in certain peculiarities in the construction of parts and in certain novel combinations of elements substantially as described and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:

Figure 1 is a transverse Vertical section through the engine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the engine on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

F ig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the rotor and casing, with gearing omitted, taken on a plane immediately adjacent to two of the rotor blades;

Fig. L is a somewhat diagrammatic view shun ing the abutments and the earing;

lf`ig. 5 is a perspective view of the casing and internal steam boxes;

Fig. G is an elevation of one end of the engine;

Fig. 7 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the rotors with the blades omitted;

iiig. a perspective view of the rotor with the blades in place;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the rotor;

Fig. 10 a detail view of one of the abutments;

Fig. l] is a perspective view of one of the end plates or blades of the casing, looking at the inside thereof;

F ig. 12 is a perspective View of one of the internal steam boxes, showing one of its packing plates removed; and

Fig. 13 is a detail view of said packing plate.

Corresponding characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

The present invention has particular reference to that hitherto proposed type of rotary engine in which a rotor, as A, having blades or pistons a, a', a2 and as, is associated with rotary abutments, as B, which are arranged on opposite sides of the rotor and are so correlated therewith that their circumferential surfaces will be in contact with the circumference of the rotor` the said abutments having appropriate recesses 7J which at times in the rotations of the parts receive the blades e, a', c2 and a3 and permit the latter to pass by. The rotor is fixed upon a shaft D which is geared to the abutments to drive the latter, the gearing being preferably arranged at opposite ends of the engine. As herein shown each end of the shaft D has a gear al; cach of said gears d is preferably meshed with gears al and Z2 suitablyY connected to the respective abutments B B. In practice it is preferred that each abutment be one-half the diameter of the rotor but rotate at twice the speed of the latter, and this arrangement of parts accordingly is shown in the accompanying drawings. It further is preferred, and accordingly herein illustrated, to embody in the engine a rotor with four blades fi-r two of which blades. as t and o are arranged at one side of the vertical center of the rotor and at diametrically opposite sides of the latter. and the other two ot' which blades, a?, a, are at the other side of said longitudinal center of the rotor at dialnetrically opposite sides of the same, the blades at one side of the longitudinal center of the rotor alternating in arrangement with those at the other side of said center, so that the four blades are set on the quarters of the rotor. Associated with this rotor are four abutnients B, two of which are arranged one after the other on one side of the rotor and the other two of which are similarly arranged one after the other on the opposite side ot the rotor, the lirst two being arranged tor example to cooperate with the blades o, a', and the other two with the blades a?, a3.

The easing oi the engine (see Fig. 5) herein illustrated to exemplify what is at present regarded to he the best detail embodiment ol' the present invention, is formed lo provide an internal rotor chamber E, which extends from front to rear oi the easing, and abutment ehamhers F arranged on opposite sides ot the rotor chamber. The abutment ehamhers at one side of the rotorl'hamher are separated from each other by a partition (i and the eorresponding ehamlilers al the other `side ot the rotor chamber are separated irom eaeh other by a partition G. The easing is also provided at an appropriate plaee with a suitable steam-inlet opening H and with a live steam chamber I which extends over the rotlu-eliamher and ahntment-ehambers. The partitions (ir and (i are hollow to torni steam Channels 20 (shown liest in Vig. 2) whose outer ends open into the steam eli-amber I, through ports Q1, and whose inner ends haye eommunieation with internal steam hoXes J, J'. which boxes are arranged in the abutment ehamhers, extend through the partitions (i, G and have steam inlet ports 22 registering With the inner ends ot' the ehannels 20. respectively.

The easing also has at appropriate places an exhaust outlet opening K and an exhaust ehamher L leading thereto and the rotor ehamher l@ is provided with two pairs ot 0X- haust ports leading to said chamber. One pair ot1 exhaust ports. marked Q3 and 2i. are arranged at diametrieally opposite sides of the rotor ehamher E and adjacent to the respective abutment Chambers. These eXhaust ports are arranged on one side of the vertieal plane of the partition Walls G, G While the other tuo exhaust ports, one ot which, marked is seen in Fig. 5, are similarly arranged on the other side of said yertieal plane.

As already stated` the illustrated arrangement is designed `tor use in Connection with a rotor haring tour blades and four rotary abutments. Two ot the ahutments are mounted to rotate upon one of the internal .steam boxes .l and are arranged upon opposite sides of the web or partition G assoeiated with said hoX, while the, other two ahutments are mounted to rotate upon the other steam hoX. il. and are located upon opposite sides ot the partition G associated with the latter. Flaeh steam boX has steam outlets 30 and 31 for the supply of steam to the interiors of the ahntments mounted thereon. and said ahutments eaeh has a series of radial ehannels 32 Forming steam passages whieh extend trom its aXis outward through its periphery. and through which steam is supplied to the rotor ehaniliier, the ahutments thereby performing the additional function olf valves for eontrolling the supply of steam to the rotor chambers. The inner ends ot said passages 32 in eaeh abutment are sueeessively brought into registration with the appropriate steam outlets 30 and 3l at proper times in the rotation of the ahntment and hear sueh relation to eaeh other and to the partieular steam lJoX outlet with which they are assoeiated that one. will he in etunmnnieation with said outlet before the. other passes out ot eommunieation therewith.

The steam passages 32 in eaeh abutment are so arranged that steam will be admitted therethrough during approximately one-halt. the revolution ot the ahutment-approximately one-halt ot the abutment being unprovided with sueh passages-and as eaeh abutment turns twiee during the single revolution of the rotor it will be apparent that during eaeh revolution ot the rotor eaeh blade is aeted upon twice by the impact and t'wiee is snhjeeted to the expansive toree ot' the steam` the phases ot impact and eXp-ansion alternating. Moreover, the deseribed eorrelation of the parts is sueh that the tiro opposite blades n and a simultaneously receive steam through their respective. abutments, and also sneh that the spaees containing the steam which has acted upon them are both open at the same time to the eX- haust openings Q3 and 24, the eXhaust oeenring when the blades ft and a have passed the respeetive exhaust openings 23 and Q4, that is` during the last portion ot' the revolution and While the steam not being admitted to the hlades a and u. Moreover, the deserihed eorreiatiou of the parts is sneh that when said blades o and a. are being snhjeeted to impaet ot steam the otherhlades lf2 and o3 are being suhjeeted to the expansive torce ot the steam and exhausting during the remainder ot' such time. Moreorenthe supply oiE steam simultaneously trom inlets ari anged on diannitrieally opposite sides otthe rotor results in a halaneing ot the pressures exerted toward the aXis of the rotor. the rotor presenting to the steam inlets on opposite sides ot its axis areas o't like inereasiug e.\'- tent hut aiu'ays ot eXtent equal to each other.

The deserihed eorrelation ot parts results` in an engine which ran he started under load trom any positionin which the rotor has stopped and eontrilmtef-s` to the produetion ot a smoothly running and efficient engine ot the rotary type. i

Other AFeatures of eonstruetion which eontrihute to the smooth running qualities and ettieieney ot the engine will non' he fleseribed.

Mounted in each internal steam box J. .lf and controlling the outlet ports 30 and I? thereot' are two valves M. These valves are mounted upon shafts or valve stems m and said stems are suitably connected with any appropriate governor which will operate automatically to move the valves to cover more or less of the ports and 31 when there is any variation in load which causes the engine to run faster or slower.

The ports 30 and 31 are preferably packed by plates 30a set into the recesses 31I1 in said ports wit-h their outer surfaces flush with the circumferential surfaces of the steam boxes, and each valve stem m extends through stufling boxes 40, 41 arranged at opposite ends of its steam box, each of said steam boxes preferably having removable heads 42. 43 at its ends, which heads carry .said stufling boxes.

As shown most clearly in Figs. 7 and 8, the rotor A comprises a cylindrical body which is provided between. its ends with an annular flange 51, said flange preferably having peripheral recesses 52 for packing rings; said flange 51 also has transverse apertures 53 corresponding in number and location to the number and location of the pistons or blades a-a3. The cylindrical body 5() is also formed with grooves 54 which are alined with the apertures 53 in said flange. The rotor is further provided with annular flanges 55 and 56 arranged at the ends thereof. One of these annular flanges, as 5G. is preferably made separate, in the form of a ring` from the body of the rotor and detachably secured to the latter. They have apertures 57 which are alined with the apertures 53 and grooves 54 in the flange 51 and body 50 respectively, and have their peripheral surfaces provided with recesses 58 to receive packing rings. The blades rf-a3 are mounted on the rotor with their inner longitudinal edges in the longitudinal grooves 54 and their ends in the apertures 53 and 57, there being as shown two of said blades on each side of the central flange 51. The blades are not immovably secured to the rotor but are free to move outwartl by centrifugal force toward the inner wall or surface of the casing. The grooves 54. which form seats for the inner longitudinal edges of said blades, are of suitable depth to prevent escape of steam around said edges; that is to say, are of such depth that the blades will never be free from said grooves. The tendency of the steam is to hold the edges of the blades against the forward wall of the grooves or seats 54 and the apertures in the flanges guide the blades in their movements. To prevent escape of steam around the outer edges of the blades the latter are packed. The packing preferably employed for this purpose is in the form of metal rollers 59 arranged to make contact with the casing wall. This packing thus being a rolling one reduces friction between the blades and casing wall and as their rotary movement is rearward their tendency is to roll the steam back, so to speak, thereby adding to their effectiveness.

The flanges 55 and 56 form end walls of steam spaces around the rotor, said flanges cooperating with the circumferential surface of the rotor and the blades to form steam chambers, as best shown in Fig. 8. As the several parts referred to move with the rotor, the friction of steam due to stationary Walls at the ends of the rotor is eliminated and Waste of steam is avoided, the chambered construction described being such as to lend itself to the hereinbefore described packing of the parts which cifectually over comes any tendency to loss of steam.

The construction of the front and rear plates or heads N are or may be substantially identical with each other. One of the same is shown in detail in Fig. 11. be noted that it is formed with a central boss 60 which sustains the end of the shaft D, and with other bosses 61 and 62, the latter bosses being arranged in line with and close to the contiguous ends of the abutment chambers and having their confronting edges cut away to form shoulders 61a and 62a, which shoulders complete the continuity of the ends of the rotor chamber by bridging the spaces at the ends of the places where the abutment chambers are cut away to cnable the abutments to project into said rotor chamber. The bosses 61 and 62 further provide seats for the ends of the abutments and bearings for the abutment shafts and also sustain the plate or head in proper position.

From the foregoing` the construction, operation and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood` and it should be understood that while I have described the invention restrictively, changes in the details may be made and the invention otherwise and variously embodied without departing from its spirit or the sco-pe of the subioined claims.

Having now described the invention what l believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is:

1. In a rotary engine. the combination with a rotor having four blades, two of said blades beine arranged diainetrically opposite to each other at one end of the rotor and the other two blades being arranged diametrically opposite to cach other at the other end of the rotor and in positions alternating with those of the first two. of four rotary abutments, two of said abutmeuts being arranged on one side of the axis of the rotor and the other two arranged on the opposite side of the rotor. said abutments being arranged to make circumferential contact with the. body of the rotor and being provided with recesses to permit the rotor bladesl to pass by. the pitch diameter of each abutment being approximately one-half the pitch It will Sil Cil

lll)

that the motive fluid will simultaneously be supplied to the rotor chamber through tvvo opposite abutments while the other two abutments are cuttingr otl' the supply olf the fluid and the pitch diameter of the abutments being; approximately one haltI the pitch diameter of the rotor, and means tor rotating the abutments from the rotor at approximately twice the speed of the latter.

6. A rotaryengine comprising a rotor, a combined rotary abutment and valve. and an internal box for the motive fluid` arranged in the axis of said combined abutment and valve: said box having' an outlet port and said combined abutment and valve having a plurality of channels extending through its circumference from the box, the inner ends ol' 4said channels being relatively so arranged that. before` one passes out of communication with the outlet port of the box the next will be in comn'lunieation with said port.

i". rotary engine comprising a rotor having oppositely arranged blades projecting trom each end o'l its body, a pluralityY ol combined rotary abutments and valves arranged on opposite sides of the rotor and corresponding in number vvith the number of blades, and supply means for the motive fluid arranged in the axis of each combined abutment and valve and having an outlet port to the latter. and each combined abutment and valve having a circumferential recess to accommodate the blades ot' the rotor and also having a plurality of channels extending through its circumference from the steam supply means, the inner ends of said channels ol each abutment beinglr relativelv so arranged that before one passes out of communication with the outlet port ot the supplv means in its abutment the next will be in communication with said port. and the outer ends of said channels lwnrr arranged at one side of the. circumferenl ial recess in the, abutmei'it, said abutments beiner relatively so arranged that the motive finid will sinniltancously be supplied to act on the blades at one end oi the rotor through tuo of the same and siinullaneously eut oli i oni the blades at the other end of the rotor by the outer abutments.

8. A rotary engine, comprising a rotor. a combined rotary abutment and valve. an internal box for the motive fluid, arranged in the axis of said abutment and valve, said box having an outlet port and said abutment and valve having a channel which extends from ils axis outward through its circumference and a` valve arranged to be controlled by a governor for cutting olf more or less of said outlet port autoimitically when the speed oi' the engine varies.

9. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprisingr a body, annular projections from the ends of said body and blades extending longitudinally of the body from one projection to the other` said body having longitudinal openings and `said projections having apertures alined with said openings, and said blades ha ving their inner longitudinal edges loosely mounted in said openings and their ends arranged in said apertures.

10. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprisingr a body haniingr an annular projection approximately midway of its length and other annular projections at its ends, a pair of blades loosely mounted on and extendingr longitudinally ot' the body from the firstnamed projection to one of the end projections and arranged at diametrically opposite sides ol: the rotor, and a second pair of blades similarly arranged at diametrioally opposite sides of the body and extending longitudinally thereof from said first-named projection to the other end projection, the blades of one pair alternating in position with those of the other pair.

11. In a rotary steam engine, a combined abutment and valve having.,r an internal bore and a steam channel which extends from said bore outward through its circumference, a steam box upon which the combined abutment and valve rotates, which steam box is provided with a port With Which the steam channel intermittently registers and a movable governor controlled valve disposed Within the steam box and arranged to cover and uncover the port thereof.

12. In a rotary steam engine, a combined abutment and valve having an internal bore and a steam channel which extends from said bore outward through its circumference, a steam box upon Which the combined abutment and valve rotates, which steam box is provided with a port with which the steam channel intermittinently registers and a movable governor controlled tWo-part valve rotatatively mounted Within the steam box and the parts ol which successively control the port of the steam box.

13. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising a body having an annular projection approximately midway of its length and other annular projections at its ends, a pair of blades loosely mounted on and extending longitudinally of the body from the firstnamed projection to one of the end projections and arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the rotor, and a second pair of blades similarly arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the body and extending longitudinally thereof from said first-named projection to the other end projection, the blades of one pair alterna-ting in position with those of the other pair, and packing on the outer edges of all said projections.

14. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising a body having an annular projection approximately midway of its length and other annular projections at its ends, a pair of blades loosely mounted `on and *extending longitudinally of the body from the firstl named projection to one of the end projections and arranged at diamctricnlly opposite sides ot' the rotor, and a second pair of blades similarly arranged at dinmetrically opposite sides of the body and extending longitudinally thereof from .said first-.named projection to the other end projection. the blades4 ot' one puir alternating in position with those ot' the other pair. and packing elements for the outer edges of the projections. including rotatably-mounted peckings for the longitudinal. elements extending from one to the other of adjacent projections.

l5. In a rotary steam engine having a rotor provided with a piston, a combined abutment and falve hav-ing a plurality of radial channels extending from Yits aX-is through its circumference, the outer ends ot' the channelsl being closely spaced to provide. successive motive impulseswfor the piston. und a steam box mounted in the aXisiof' the combined abutment und valvennd having a steam outlet, seid abutment and valve being mounted to rotate `on the steam box und thriving the inner ends of its channels arranged to successively registerwvith the outlet in the steam box.

16. In a rotary steam engine, a combined abutment and valve having a pluruliity Iof radial channels `extending V:from its axis through its circumference, and esteem box mounted `in theI axis of the combined nbutment and vulve und having a steam '.outlet, said abutment and valve being mounted to rotate on the steam box and' having the Vinner ends of its channels arranged in such contiguity to euch iothcr that Aone will be in partial registration with the outlet in the steam box before the next one has passed out of registration therewith.

l?. Lu a rotary steam engine, a combined abutment and valvehavingiu steam channel which extends from its axisbutward through its circumference. amdV a-leohaving a circumferential recess at one side of the end of said channel. und au internal steam box mounted in the axis ot' the combined chutmcnt and valve and provideduvithan ouitletaperture. the combined abutment and valve being mounted to intatte on saidbox to cause its channel to intermittently register with mid outlet. .said box having a grooved face adjacent Yto the outlet mid a pecking plato set ilito said groove and having its outer surface fiushavith `the surface of :the box.

i8. In a rotary steam engine, a :pair `of combined abutments and valves eaehheving a steam channel which extends from its axis outward through its circumference, and an internal steam box mounted in the axes of both of said abutments and valve and provided with an inlet opening between the Sallie. the box also having openings to thc steam channels in the abutments and valves. respectively.

1S). In a rotary steam engine` a pair of abutments. each having a plurality ot' radial steam channels whose inner ends are close together` the said steam channels extending outward from the axes of the respective abutments through the circumference ot' the latter. each abutment also having its section from one end-channel to the opposite endchnnnel formed imperforate to constitute a eut-olf, and an internal steam box mounted in the axes of both Iof the combined abutments `and valves and provided with an inlety opening between the latter and with outlet openings to the channels ot' the respectivealnltments and valves.

Q0. In a rotary steam engine, :i pair of nbntmcnts, each having a plurality ot radial steam channelsiwhosc inner ends are close together, the said steam channels extending outward from thc axes ot' the respective abutments through the circumference of the lutter. `each abutment also having its scction from one end-channel to the opposite end-channel formed imperforate to constitute n cut-oli. an internal steam box mounted in the axes of both ot the combined abutments and valves and provided with un inlet opening between the latter and with outlet openings to the channels of the respective abutments and valves and a throttle valve mounted to vibrate in the steam box and arranged to be operated by a govcrnor.

21. In n rotary steam engine. a casing having a chamber for live steam. a rotor chamber extending from one side of the casing to the other and abutment chambers arranged on opposite sides ol the rotor chnlnber and opening into the latter. combined with end plates each having :i boss in line with the rotor chamber and other bosses in line with the abutment chambers. the bosses which are in line with the abutment chambers having their surfaces which are adjacent to the rotor chamber cut,l away on the arcsaif the latter. and a rotor and abutments mounted in the rotor and abutment chambers` respectively. and having shafts borne by said bosses.

In testimony whcrcot' I have `hcreunta) set my hand in presence ot' two subscribing witncsses.

BENJAMIN ll. AI'EY.

Witnesses:

' C. J. S'rocnfMAN, JNo. M. ALVEY.

Copies oithis patent may belohtainedfforvve cents each-byladrsaiug the Commissioner oi Patents, Washington, D. 

